A laundry treatment apparatus includes an apparatus that washes laundry such as clothes, an apparatus that dries laundry, and an apparatus that performs both washing and drying of laundry.
The laundry treatment apparatus may include a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet for storing water therein, and a drum provided in the tub for storing laundry therein. Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses are classified into front loading type laundry treatment apparatuses configured such that laundry is introduced into a drum through an introduction aperture formed in the front surface of the apparatus and top loading type laundry treatment apparatuses configured such that laundry is introduced into a drum through an introduction aperture formed in the upper surface of the apparatus.
Some conventional laundry treatment apparatuses are configured such that a tub can be discharged from a cabinet. In this case, when the tub is discharged from the cabinet or is inserted into the cabinet, a water supply unit for supplying water to the tub and a discharge unit for discharging water from the tub out of the cabinet may be entangled or twisted.
Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses may include a drain unit for draining water from the tub. The drain unit may include a drain pump and a drain channel for draining water from the tub.
In conventional laundry treatment apparatuses, a predetermined amount of wash water is generally collected in the drain unit in order to prevent the introduction of bad smells from a sewer pipe connected to the drain unit.
In conventional laundry treatment apparatuses, however, it is not possible to completely drain wash water from the drain unit.
Additionally, in conventional laundry treatment apparatuses, wash water collected in the drain unit may be frozen, with the result that the drain unit may be frozen to burst in winter.
Additionally, in the case in which a drain channel of the drain unit is located parallel to the ground, wash water may be collected in the drain channel, with the result that the drain channel may be frozen to burst in winter.
In addition, wash water remaining in the drain channel, which is located parallel to the ground, may not be completely drained, with the result that the drain channel may be frozen to burst in winter.
Additionally, in the case in which conventional laundry treatment apparatuses are configured such that a drawer is discharged forward from a cabinet, and a tub is received in the drawer, a flow channel for discharging wash water from the tub may have a complex structure, whereby wash water may remain in the drain channel, with the result that the drain channel may be frozen to burst in winter.
Additionally, in the case in which it is necessary to minimize the volume of the drawer type laundry treatment apparatus, the drain pump may be attached to the rear surface of the drawer. In this case, the drain channel, which is connected to the drain pump, may be located relatively high, with the result that the drain channel may be frozen to burst in winter.
Additionally, in the case in which the drain channel of the drawer type laundry treatment apparatus is located higher than the bottom surface of the tub, with the result that the drain channel may be frozen to burst in winter.
Additionally, in the case in which the drawer type laundry treatment apparatus is an auxiliary laundry treatment apparatus, which assists a main laundry treatment apparatus, it is necessary to minimize the volume of the drawer type laundry treatment apparatus. In order to minimize the volume of the auxiliary laundry treatment apparatus, it is necessary to minimize the space between the bottom surface of the drawer and the cabinet. To this end, the drain pump of the auxiliary laundry treatment apparatus may not be located lower than the bottom surface of the tub but may be attached to the rear surface of the drawer. In this case, wash water may remain in the drain channel for discharging water from the tub and the drain pump, with the result that the drain channel may be frozen to burst in winter.
In addition, conventional laundry treatment apparatuses may be configured such that wash water is intentionally collected in the drain pump and the drain channel (i.e. there is a water trap in the drain pump and the drain channel) in order to prevent the introduction of bad smells from the sewer pipe to the tub. However, the water trap may be frozen to burst in winter.
Additionally, in conventional laundry treatment apparatuses, a portion of the drain pump may be located lower than the bottom surface of the tub, with the result that the drain pump may be frozen to burst in winter.
In addition, conventional laundry treatment apparatuses do not include a means for forcibly draining water remaining in the drain pump and the drain channel.